


Coulson Lives

by thattinynerd (beautyinthenight)



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Fiction, General fiction, Literature, Short Stories, prose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2013-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-11 21:33:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautyinthenight/pseuds/thattinynerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coulson died, everyone knows that. But then he arrives at Stark Tower.<br/>#CoulsonLives</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coulson Lives

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't seen Iron Man 3, so this may contradict that film.

“Sir, Phil Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D is at the door,” Jarvis’ calm voice says, echoing throughout the lab where Bruce and Tony were pouring over some possible designs for Banner’s new lab in Stark Tower.

Both men looked up, startled. Tony looks sad, a moment of raw heartbreak  penetrating his usually cocky eyes for a fleeting second, his lips curling into a frown. For a second, Bruce’s anger almost consumes him. How dare this computer system make a joke about something so close to everyone’s hearts, especially when everyone knew that Bruce still blamed himself for losing control and ultimately occupying help which could have protected Phil.

“I didn’t think you made jokes Jarvis.” Tony says, frowning slightly.  
“I don’t sir. You haven’t programmed me to do so. But I’m afraid Agent Coulson is insisting that he must see you”  
“Show me a visual?”

The screen directly in front of the two science partners flickers into life, a face illuminating the room.

“Ah, Mr Stark. Can I come in?”

-

“It’s like Budapest take 3!” Natasha shouts above the noise of the gunfire, simultaneously pulling out another gun.  
“We still remember Budapest very differently!” Clint replies, reaching for a new arrow and firing it at the man with his gun pointed at Natasha’s throat.

The pair fight in sync, neither fazed by the fact that they were fighting off over 100 highly-trained men all with one order: kill. Natasha’s red hair flips around like a whip as she rolls over the ground to continue to fight. Clint’s arms work like lightning, retrieving arrows and firing them at such a pace than nobody can tell which direction he’s firing in, or where his next target will be. Within about 10 minutes over half the men were lying on the ground, the rest still advancing but now with less will to carry on.

_Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring-Ring_

Natasha’s phone rings, and she patches it through to her ear piece.

“Hello?”  
“It’s Tony! You miss me?”  
“What is it Stark? I’m kind of occupied here!” she shouts, knocking someone out with one blow.  
“We need you to come in. Now.”  
“Clint and I are a little preoccupied right now.”  
“Look whatever you guys can make-out on the plane for all I care. I need you at Stark Tower as soon as possible. There’s a S.H.I.E.L.D plane waiting for you half a mile away.”  
“We’re not-“ a pause for to kick a soldier in the groin “making out. Anyway why do you need us in, I see no aliens anywhere.”  
“That’s the thing. Coulson’s back”  
“Coulson’s back? What? We’ll be with you in an hour”  
She hangs up, pecking Clint on the cheek and whispering in his ear.  
“We gotta go hon. You’ll love what I just heard.”

-

Tony, Bruce, Natasha, Clint and Phil all sat in the living room of Stark tower with various looks of disbelief on their faces. Banner and Stark had had slightly more time to get used to the apparent resurrection of their friend and ally, Phil Coulson. But as for Clint, he was in a state of shock, crying softly into Natasha’s shoulder. Like Bruce, Clint blamed himself for having actually led the attack on the S.H.I.E.L.D base (although he was kind of hypnotised, in his opinion that didn’t excuse him). Yet here Phil Coulson was, the sort of martyr for the Avengers alive and well and drinking champagne (in Tony’s opinion this was the perfect reason for drinking) on the couch of the newly rebuilt Stark Tower. It was overwhelming, and for an agent who normally never showed any emotion, Clint was breaking down. 

It was a bizarre scene: Coulson relaxed with his champagne glass; Tony staring at him in disbelief, Bruce almost examining him from afar, trying to see some way some logical explanation for this; Clint sobbing into his girlfriend’s shoulder; Natasha seeming exceptionally out of her depth, she trained to kill, not to comfort, but she tried as best as she could. It could almost be a family after the Christmas dinner, in the aftermath of a monopoly game.

The doors to the elevator slide open with a swish, causing all 5 heads to look up and stare at the incomer.

“Captain, you made it and only... half an hour late!” Tony says, grinning.  
“Well... someone said my hero had been resurrected and I just had to make sure I had my suggestions for his new uniform.” Steve Rogers chuckles, striding into the room.

-

“How’d you do it then, Phil?” Bruce asks, his eyes still wide.  
“Well, Dr Banner, I guess we can blame Director Fury for this one.”  
“But we spoke to Fury, he said the paramedics pronounced you dead, we saw the blood on your cards!” Steve says, his hand resting on his chin.  
“Do you never learn, Rogers? Fury’s a spy, he had his reasons.” Stark interrupts, rolling his eyes.  
“And you know what we did once we learned of your death, Coulson? We all went out and fought as the Avengers Initiative.” Natasha mutters, effortlessly continuing Stark’s trail of thought.  
“I was injured, stabbed by the spear.” Coulson says quietly, beginning to explain the situation. “I lost consciousness too, I’m pretty sure my heart stopped. But it’s weird, that weapon. The Tesseract’s energy was left in the wound, and was enough to kickstart my heart again. I just got out of hospital.”

The Avengers sit, dumbfounded, staring at their friend. Clint’s tears have subsided, and the only sound is the thunderstorm which is raging outside the large windows. 

“Well, it’s good to have you back, Phil.” Bruce finally says, breaking the silence.  
“Yeah, it really is. Where would we be without our favourite S.H.I.E.L.D agent and ally?” Clint says, a smile breaking onto his face and lighting up the room.

The thunder gets louder, and a flash of lightning illuminates the faces of everyone in the room.

_CRASH._

The glass of the window shatters into millions of tiny pieces of glitter, and a shadowy figure emerges, illuminated by the lightning. Clint immediately draws an arrow, keeping it straight in line with the newcomer’s chest.

“Phil! You’re back!” the figure’s voice rumbles, as he strides into the room, and is suddenly identifiable as Thor. He walks forwards, scooping the smaller man into a bear hug.  
“Lovely to see you too Thor.”  
“What are you doing here, Thor? Doesn’t Asgard need you?” Natasha asks, keeping her voice cool.  
“I got a message. Coulson Lives.”


End file.
